Steve Carlos Kirk
GC Pro Account Manager

Pro Audio gearhead and saxophonist Steve Carlos Kirk has the answers to your questions concerning recording, live sound, DJ as well as keyboards!

Steve was exposed to multiculturalism in music at an early age by his parents, Rodney and Barbara. Everything from jazz to Peruvian Quechuan music was playing at the house at all times! Tchaikovsky is still his biggest influence through and through.

Steve attended Central Michigan University and studied under saxophone professor John Nichol. It was at Central Michigan that Steve had the opportunity to study broadcast and cinematic arts, eventually taking a job at CMU Public Radio and assigned as "board op" and was able to host the long-running program "Nightside Jazz and Blues."

In addition to working with technology in a professional broadcast environment, Steve was exposed to composition and performance aids. eBand was a performing group that toured music technology in education workshops across the country. eBand, sponsored by CMU and a government grant, consisted of two Yamaha WX-5 wind MIDI synths, two Roland GR-33, Roland V-Studio kit, Roland Handsonic, and a Marimba Lumina all connected to two Opcode Studio 5 powered by Studio MAX. The recording opportunities of this group gave Steve the ability to work on Pro Tools for audio, Digital Performer for sequencing, and StudioMAX MSP for live routing and performance effects.

Steve then picked up and moved 1500 miles to Denton, Texas where he attended the University of North Texas focusing on jazz performance. It was the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that steeped Steve in everything from Texas Blues to hip-hop, jazz fusion to jam. Jam sessions happened nightly! Steve began experimenting with complex routing of live analog and digital effects and the subtle, artful application of canvasses of sound. This system literally consisted of two mixer racks of gear and an arsenal of Electro-Harmonix pedals and a RAT all mixed in parallel rather than run in series. Steve eventually worked the system into a duet with a House DJ and performed weekly in the D/FW area.

Steve started working for Guitar Center in the Chattanooga, TN area and has had the opportunity to work in stores in Denver, CO; as well as two locations in Las Vegas, NV!

In his words: "I take a real-world approach to audio with my customers. I use my abilities I learned as a musician to, above all else, listen first and really dial-in the appropriate gear for the application. I love working with musicians and helping find creative ways to help one integrate new gear into one's personality and style and I love to hear the results. For me it's all about forgetting this is technology because in the end it is an extension of you - it is your art - it is your instrument!"